Christian's Story of Survival

While we are busy building a public façade, the confusing thoughts and feelings of guilt around past experiences bring on a lifetime of shame, anger, dishonesty, poor choices, broken relationships, and a lack of self worth.

— Christian Griffith, Run2Heal

As a survivor, I am running across the United States of America in an effort to inspire those who have been abused to break their silence; while doing so, I am dedicating myself to raising $1 million to prevent and treat child abuse.

Five children will die today at the hands of an abuser. One in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18, and 80% of 21-year-olds who report childhood abuse meet the criteria for at least one psychological disorder.

But nobody really talks about it.

I'm going to talk about it. Loudly. I am spreading the message of treatment - the only way out. Let me say that again: treatment is the only way out. Because nobody talks about it, I packaged up my own personal experiences of abuse, airtight, and put them on a shelf high up and deep in my brain for over 30 years, just hoping "out of sight, out of mind."

But experiences are sneaky.

While we are busy building a public façade, the confusing thoughts and feelings of guilt around past experiences bring on a lifetime of shame, anger, dishonesty, poor choices, broken relationships, and a lack of self-worth.

The first step is acknowledgment. The second step is processing the realities of what has happened, digging deep and learning the depth of the effects of your abuse, and lastly, you must walk through the fire, addressing each behavior that you want to change.

It all happens in therapy. It is the only way to heal.

Please help me spread this message, and raise at least $1 million to prevent and treat child abuse, worldwide. Humanity has no borders.

Thank you,

Christian GriffithRunner & advocate in association with Help For Children [HFC]

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Adverse Childhood Experiences Study: Data and Statistics. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Retrieved January 12, 2009